Montreal bans insults against city workers, sparking free speech fight
Montreal adopts bylaw banning insults against police, municipal employees
Montreal city council passed a bylaw banning insults, harassment, and threats toward police and municipal employees, with fines from $300 to $1,000 for a first offence and up to $2,000 for repeat offences. The rule, adopted 35-25, drew criticism from opposition councillors and civil rights groups who say it lacks clear definitions and could violate freedom of expression. City employees may refuse service to those who misbehave.
We are simply saying that there is a line between challenging an institution and engaging in behaviour that is inappropriate toward the people who work for it.
- petcat
Something similar was attempted in Houston in the 1980s and the US Supreme Court struck it down as a clear 1st Amendment violation [1]
> The Constitution does not allow such speech to be made a crime. The freedom of individuals verbally to oppose or challenge police action without thereby risking arrest is one of the principal characteristics by which we distinguish a free nation from a police state.
- alistairSH
Assault was already illegal. So, this is to also ban calling the police names?
Already illegal: "I'm going to kick your ass"
Now illegal: "You're a poopy head"
- heisgone
For context, police gained support for this bylaw following this video. The guy posted the video of himself of calling an office a whore on socia media. The fact the officer was so polite and couldn't do anything about it made people furious. Of course, there is real risk of abuse of this law but that's the context.
- giarc
I think these are the key sentences in that article (below). This bylaw is probably targeted toward citizens that come in and berate staff because they find out they have an unpaid parking ticket from 2 years ago that they have to pay before renewing their license (for example).
>The new Montreal bylaw would ban insults, harassment, threats, abuse and intimidation, as well as offensive and aggressive behaviour.
>It also includes provisions saying city employees could refuse to provide services to someone who misbehaves. However, the bylaw doesn't define what could be construed as an insult.
- clarionbell
I know that speech protections are not exactly maximalist in Canada, but surely this can't be compatible with the charter?